Prologue - A Fallen Queen

A queen has fallen, and Death is approaching Elendor at a great speed...

Prologue " A Fallen Queen

In the dark, there was a whisper.

‘Hello Mother, remember me?’

Elsinore was confused. The words sounded familiar and she was reminded of something that happened a long time ago, though she had trouble remembering the details.

Elsinore turned her head slowly in that direction, fearing the sight, or the would-be sight. Her fear was such that her vision was suddenly clouded with a strange, red mist.

It was some time before she realised her error and thought, another delusion.

Elsinore stood alone in her dark prison, her powers drained and her gems emptied. Her lips trembled a little as she muttered a few incoherent lines. It was not a prayer. She had never prayed, but it did sooth her a little for she no longer had that wild look in her eyes which could do herself and others so much harm.

She had also recognised the plain and unadorned garment that was bundled on the floor as belonging to herself.

It was a new outfit, plain grey and without accessories, peasant clothing, brought to her by the prison guards.

Elsinore mournfully remembered how in her days of prime, no one would dare to present her with such indelicacy.

She was a woman of strong opinions, and as such, she disallowed anyone from openly challenging her. She was the mother of the land and she was to be obeyed without question. Perhaps this had greatly diminished her popularity within the empire, but she had always been so sure of herself, even at her moment of defeat.

As the head of the country, she had reasons to believe that the sympathy of the people, including the rebels should lie with her. It was morally incorrect to take arms against the Crown, or the bearer of that crown. After all, she was the established empress of ‘Elendor’. Poems and songs had her immortalised that in the end, she too believed in her immortality.

But, was she truly immortal?

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Somewhere ahead, sheltered from the dampness of the prison walls, two ladies of the existing empress were having a conversation. Their eyes turned toward the rueful empress, knowing they could not be seen from the other side.  The younger of the two had the look of a tigress.

‘This is the princess’s doing. ’ She declared loudly.

Her companion remained silent.

‘She is her mother.’

‘You cannot deny that our ex-mistress has many failings.’

‘Who doesn’t?’

‘Do not talk slightingly of her majesty.’

‘Her crown does not excuse her crimes.’

‘She deserves better treatment.’

‘She deserves death.’

‘Sister, I must protest…’

‘You will do no such thing, you don’t know what it’s like, to hear lies day after day and night after night, knowing them for what they were and yet…’

‘As you may know, the princess and I are particularly close. She would sometimes talk to me of delicate issues. During one of those tête-à-têtes, she talked of the past.’

          ‘And this has something to do with…?’

‘Yes, verily.’

‘Years ago, before Elendor was found, a group of savage men had settled in one of our northern territories. They were called Raptsumbra for there was no other name for them but the one they’ve been given in their native language. The creatures were extremely intelligent and possessed technologies, the advancement of which far exceeded our own, however, they were beastly in form and lacking in grace. All knows how they were exiled from their home planet of Elora and it was assumed that this was the first encounter they had with civilisation in a very long time.’

‘By her own choice, a simple slave girl had entertained the idea of becoming the lover of one of those savages. She was a light lady and this was meant to be a light affair. Rather, she had earned the love and care of the leader of the group. In time, she began to emotionally attach herself to him and a love that went much deeper than she was ready to admit was developed. They met each day at sundown on the outskirt of their village so no one could witness their passionate exchange. Then one day, the girl gave birth. Although there were several who were ready and eager to place a claim on the child, the creature was certain that the child was his. From the first, there seemed to be a special bond between the creature and the child.  The creature was so engrossed with the little girl that he did not see the darkened looks of the mother and the speculative ones of her peers.  The mother was troubled, she had meant this to be a casual relationship. Years later, on the child’s seventh birthday, the child had her birthing ceremony and her paternity was formally acknowledged. The ceremony was attended by a number of important persons. The mother had somehow convinced a noble duke to acknowledge the child as his natural daughter and so he did. The creature was there too. He was ready to claim the child and marry the mother for he could only do so after the child’s birthing ceremony where his right to the child would be formally recognised. But the mother, fearing his interference, looked at him in the eye and spoke the following words.

‘She is not your daughter.’

There was something malevolent about his expression that had the mother scared beyond reason and she had almost tripped herself at the feet of a staircase.

Without another word, the creature slowly backed away. There were many who would have sworn to have heard him threatening the woman with death and torture, but I believe as many before me that owing to his affection for the little girl, the creature never did any of that.’

‘He still loved the child? Even though she was not his?’

‘Oh yes, there were many evidences to show for that and besides, the word of an ‘ambitious’ mother should not be taken seriously.’

‘In the end, the mother did die, but not by his hand. The duke had a wife and the affair did not sit well with the lady. Strangely enough, the duchess took care of the child after the mysterious disappearance of the mother.’

 ‘The duchess…’

‘Neytiri, the duchess was called Neytiri, before assuming the name of Elsinore.’

 ‘She who had shed the blood of many now lives in fear of her own life.’

‘It’s true that our princess is a very ambitious woman. It will not surprise me if Elsinore dies within the hour.’  

Is she always like this? Her companion smiled a little, the lady’s animated expression both alarmed and excited her, and although the subject under discussion had drifted to something lighter, it was obvious that her mind was not engaged.

The narrator smiled a little for she could hear footsteps in the distance. She believed it was Death approaching.